This funding opportunity announcement (FOA) supports high impact efforts to make resources available to neuroscience researchers. Projects should engage in one or more of the following activities: facilitating access to cutting edge reagents or techniques, dissemination of resources to new user groups, or innovative approaches to increase the scale/efficiency of resource production and delivery. Applications focused primarily on technology or software development are not responsive to this FOA, as the focus is on dissemination or provision of resources. Use of existing technologies to develop new reagents or genetic lines of significant value to the research community may be appropriate. Projects should address compelling needs of broad communities of neuroscience researchers or should offer unique services that otherwise would be unavailable. Projects must support the NINDS mission.

The NIH Blueprint for Neuroscience Research is a collaborative framework through which 14 NIH Institutes, Centers and Offices jointly support neuroscience-related research, with the aim of accelerating discoveries and reducing the burden of nervous system disorders. This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) will solicit research projects to facilitate the development and translation of tools and technology for non-invasive imaging and profiling of human central nervous system (CNS, including retina) small blood and lymphatic vessels; to investigate their role in CNS physiology, disease, repair processes, and responses to therapy using novel approaches. Applications can be focused on the development of new technology and tools, novel target or biomarker identification and validation studies, or a combination of mechanistic and technology development studies specific to human CNS small blood and lymphatic vessels in health and disease, across the life span.

This Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) encourages Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) applications from small business concerns (SBCs) that seek additional funding to support clinical trials for projects that were previously funded by NIH SBIR and STTR Phase II awards. The projects must focus on products related to the mission and goals of the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) and may evaluate drugs, biologics, devices, or diagnostics, as well as surgical, behavioral or rehabilitation therapies. Since conducting the clinical trials needed for commercialization may be capital-intensive, the FOA aims to facilitate the transition of SBIR Phase II projects to the commercialization stage by promoting partnerships between NIHs SBIR/STTR awardees and third-party investors and/or strategic partners. Consistent with the goals of this funding initiative and as required by the SF424 instructions for all SBIR Phase II applications, applicants must submit a Commercialization Plan, which should include details on any independent third-party investor funding that has already been secured or is anticipated during the project period. It is expected that the level of this independent third-party funding will equal or exceed the NINDS funds being requested throughout the SBIR Phase IIB project period.

The purpose of this Funding Opportunity Announcement (FOA) is to encourage cooperative agreement (U54) applications from multidisciplinary groups of investigators to accelerate the rate of progress in determining the functional, pharmacological, neuronal network and whole animal consequences of genetic variants discovered in patients with various types of epilepsy and to develop strategies for establishing diagnostic criteria and identifying potential targets for intervention.